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Imam Nawawi on tawassul of the Sahabi Uqba bin Amir رضى الله عنه

Imam Nawawi writes the following in his biographical entry on the important companion of the Prophet Ubqa Ibn Amir (رضى الله عنه), who was among the Ashab as-Suffah, in his book Tahdhib al-asma wal-lughat تهذيب الأسماء واللغات :

Rough translation: (Uqba Ibn Amir (رضى الله عنه)) saw the opening (conquest) of Sham, and he had message to be delivered to Umar bin al-Khattab (رضى الله عنه) on the opening of Damascus, he arrived in Madinah in 7 days, while returned back to Sham in two and a half days by making dua/supplication at the grave of the Prophet – صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – and seeking intercession through him (or: seeking his intercession) regarding the way/route to become closer.

In other words, by making tawassul with the presence of the Prophet and his intercession صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ, the Sahabi returned back in just 2 & 1/2 days which would have otherwise taken 7 days.

In this same book, Imam Nawawi also makes mention of the grave of the famous Shafi jurist Imam Nasr bin Ibrahim al Maqdisi al-Zahid (d.490H) that,

..the Imam’s grave is besides the grave of companions Muawiya and Abu Darda, رضى الله عنهم , and the people frequently visit and make dua there, and that the Shuyukhs say that Duas/supplications made there on Saturdays are answered.